ES2839699T3 - Procedure and installation of changing the rollers of a rolling mill - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for changing the rollers of a laminator for metal strip, implemented in an installation (1) that has: - a laminator comprising: - a clamping box (2), - a set of superimposed rollers with substantially parallel axes comprising two work rollers (3, 4), lower and upper, defining the passage air gap, and two support rollers (5, 6), respectively lower and upper, destined to take support respectively on the work rollers by the opposite side to that of the passage air gap, - each roller having two rotatable mounted ends, each one of them on a bearing carried by a chock (30, 40, 50, 60), - a guide means between the chocks of the rollers and the clamping box, according to the clamping plane, - means for applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers, comprising hydraulic cylinders (Vs), - a clamping system (9) of the chocks of the rollers, which ensures the blocking of the chocks with respect to the clamping box, along the axis of the roller, at the same time that enables the chocks to slide along the guide means, according to the clamping plane, - means motorization (10) of the support rollers, on one side of the laminator clamping box, called the motorization side, - a system for extracting the work rollers and the support rollers provided with the motorization side of said laminator, comprising: - an actuator (70) configured to, during the extraction of the rollers, push the rollers out of the clamping box (2) of the rolling mill or, conversely, when the rollers are inserted, pull the rollers inside the clamping box (2), - a hooking head (8) integral with said actuator (70), located, in the opening position of the clamping box (2), at an intermediate height level between the lower work roller (4) and lower support roller (6 ), movable in a direction parallel to the rollers (3, 4, 5, 6), from a first retracted position (P1), for which the coupling head is located on the motorization side, towards a second deployed position (P2) , for which the hooking head (8), having passed through the clamping box (2), is located on the operator side, said hooking head (8) comprising - first coupling means configured to drive the chock (40) or the end of the lower work roller (4), on the motorized side of the laminator, - second coupling means configured to drive the chock of the lower support roller (6), on the motorized side of the laminator, showing a retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roller (6), and a deployed state, in which they push the chock (60) of said lower support roller (6), and in which the chocks (30 , 40) of the upper work rollers and The lower part have connecting means (11), on the operator side, opposite the motorization means, which are responsible for a mechanical connection (12) between these chocks on the operator side, and in which the extraction of the work rollers (3, 4) and support rollers (5, 6), after opening the clamping box of said laminator, during which the lower work roller (4) and the lower support roller (6) They are distanced from the upper work roller (3) and the upper support roller (5), while the metal strip (B) is present along the advance plane of said laminator, through the implementation of the following steps successive: - a first extraction stage (E1) during which the upper work roller (3) and the lower work roller (4) are extracted, by means of a pushing action of said actuator (70) on the chock (40 ) of the lower work roller (4), on the motorization side, passing the head from hook (8) from the first retracted position (P1) towards the second deployed position (P2), said upper work roller (3) being dragged together with the lower work roller (4) by the mechanical joint (12) created, on the operator side, between the chocks (30, 40) of the lower and upper work rollers, said second coupling means (81, 82) of the coupling head (8) being in said retracted state in which, in this pushing action, they do not drag the chocks of the 5 support rollers, - a return stage (E2) during which the coupling head (8) is returned from the second deployed position (P2) towards the motorization side towards the first retracted position (P1), - a second extraction stage (E3) in which the lower support roller (6) is extracted out of the clamping box (2) by means of a pushing action of said actuator on the chock ( 60) of the lower support roller 10 (6) on the motorized side the hooking head (8) passing from the first retracted position (P1) towards the second deployed position (P2), said second coupling means being in said deployed state that allows the thrust of the chock (60) of said lower support roller (6), - a positioning step (E4) in which a support device (13) is positioned on the lower support roller (6), the lower part of which rests on the chocks (60) of the roller of lower support (6) and whose upper part is intended to serve as a support for the chocks (50) of the upper support roller (5), said support equipment (13) being insertable in the clamping box (2), - an insertion stage (E5) in which the lower support roller (6) and said support equipment (13) are inserted into the clamping box (2), by the pulling action caused by the return of the head of hitch (8) in the direction of the motorization side from the second deployed position (P2) towards the first retracted position (P1), said support equipment (13) presenting a clear area (14) through which the metal band (B) passes when it is inserted in the holding box (2), - a deposition stage ( E6) during which the upper support roller (5) is deposited on the upper part of the support equipment (13), by means of a lowering action of said upper support roller (6), - a third extraction stage (E7 ) during which the assembly comprising the lower support roller (6), the support equipment (13) and said upper support roller (5) is extracted by means of a pushing action of said actuator (70) on the chock ( 60) of the lower support roller (6), on the motorized side, and in which the second coupling means are passed from the retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roller (6), towards the deployed state , in which they push the chock (60) of said lower support roller (6) by means of a manual action on said second coupling means, correlatively to said first extraction stage (E1), the hooking head (8) being in said second deployed position (P2), accessible from the operating side of said laminator, and prior to said return stage (E2).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Procedure and installation of changing the rollers of a rolling mill

The object of the invention is a method for changing the rolls of a metal strip rolling mill, as well as a rolling plant comprising a rolling mill and a roll changing system that advantageously allows the implementation of the process according to the invention.

The field of the invention is quarter box rolling mills that find a particular application, for example, in annealing lines, or also galvanizing lines, or also stand-alone, reversible or non-reversible rolling mills for metal strip. The rolling mill according to the invention finds a particular application, especially, after the annealing of the strip, to carry out a skin-pass, many times with the purpose of eliminating the elastic bearing of the metal strip in order to give it a roughness and / or improve its shine and / or improve its flatness.

A quarter box rolling mill has a clamping box comprising two pairs of towers, at both ends of the box, between which four cylinders (or, hereinafter, rollers), with parallel axes, are provided, namely two rollers of work, lower and upper, defining the air gap of the strip to be rolled, as well as two support rollers, upper and lower, which respectively bear support on the work rollers, on the opposite side to that of the air gap. The motorization of the rollers is provided on one side of the box, being the other side, called the operator side, the one in which maintenance operations are carried out, in particular the operations of changing the rollers through the present access window between the two towers of the box on that operator side.

In such rolling mills, each supporting or working roll is mounted rotatably at its ends on chocks, by means of bearings, for example rolling bearings or also hydrostatic bearings. These chocks are supports that can be moved in a direction parallel to the clamping plane, between the two posts of the box.

A quarter-type rolling mill comprises means for applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers, in the form of two hydraulic cylinders, often at the lower end of the box, which respectively bear support on the two chocks of one. of the support rollers, many times lower. When retracted, these two hydraulic cylinders enable the opening of the box, namely the spacing of the upper rollers (support roller and upper work roller) with respect to the lower rollers (support roller and lower work roller) , and in a position where the latter can be removed from the box. Thus, the chocks of the work rollers and the chocks of the support rollers are mounted sliding in a direction parallel to the clamping plane, in such a way that they enable the opening of the box or also its closing, or also facilitate the operations of maintenance and disassembly.

To this end, each chock typically comprises two sliding plates, parallel and opposite, on either side of the axis of rotation of the roller and cooperating with sliding plates integral with the towers and parallel to the latter, in correspondence with the two. side sides of the window. However, these slide plates do not ensure the locking of the chocks (and their roller) along the axis of the supported roller.

Within the field of rolling mills, this blocking of the roll chocks along the axis of the roll is called "flanging" of the chocks. In a quarter box mill, the clamping system for the chocks of the work or support rolls typically comprises, for each chock, two opposing vertical chock grooves located on either side of the roll axis of rotation. , as well as two associated locking members, respectively integral with the towers, movable horizontally. Each locking member can move from a locking position, in which the locking member enters the vertical slot, to an unlocked position, in which the locking member retracts out of this slot.

In the locking position, the locking member, integral with the tower, makes it impossible to move the chock along the axis of the roller, while enabling the chock to slide along the vertical axis of the posts, by moving the chock member. interlocking along the vertical groove of chock.

To allow the change of the work rollers and the support rollers, it is necessary to open the laminator, by retracting the clamping cylinders, and unlocking the clamping system. Only after these two actions can the rollers and their chocks be removed from the laminator housing.

The support rollers and the work rollers of the quarter-type laminators of the state of the art are extracted from the clamping box, through the access window on the operator side, thanks to two independent extraction systems, in parallel , superimposed one on top of the other, located on the side of the laminator motorization, namely:

- a first extraction system comprising an actuator, typically a hydraulic cylinder, the stroke of which is sufficient to allow the extraction of the work rollers out of the clamping box, by means of a pushing action and movement of the work roller along its axis longitudinal, and - a second, independent extraction system, comprising another actuator, typically another hydraulic cylinder, whose stroke allows the extraction of the support rollers out of the clamping box, by means of a pushing and displacement action of the support roller along its longitudinal axis.

Once removed from the laminator, these two extraction systems then allow new rollers (respectively the work rollers and the support rollers) to be inserted into the laminator clamping box.

According to the observations of the applicant firm, there is a need, in the quarter-box laminators, for a procedure for changing the laminator rollers that allows the cost of the laminating plant to be significantly reduced.

From the state of the art, however, it is known from document WO 03/099479 A1, a fourth box laminating plant equipped with an extraction system comprising an actuator marked 7, in this specific case, a cylinder, substantially horizontal, provided with a hooking head comprising two arms 17a, 17b, superimposed, arranged respectively at the height of the upper work roller 2a and the lower work roller 2b. These two arms are associated with hydraulic (or electric) grippers, marked with 18. Document WO 03/099479 A1 also discloses a procedure for the extraction of the rollers, which is responsible for extracting the work rollers marked with 2a and 2b, but also to extract the support rollers 3a, 3b, using, as the only horizontal stroke actuator, the actuator marked 7 to push the work rollers out of the box and then to push the support rollers out of the box.

The procedure that allows the extraction of the four rollers is as follows, and it is broken down into two phases, firstly with the extraction of the work rollers and then the extraction of the support rollers. With the laminator housing in the open position, the two clamps (hydraulic or electric) allow, firstly, to manually grasp the two ends of the work rollers marked 2a and 2b and then the actuator marked 7 is used to push to simultaneously extract the two work rollers 2a and 2b, which are then extracted from the rolling mill stand, and while the support rollers 3a and 3b are still present inside the stand.

For the output of the support rollers, a support equipment (marked 11) is used which is inserted into the rolling mill case, arranged between the upper support roll and the lower support roll. Once this support device 11 and the upper support roller 3a rest on the lower support roller 3a, the support device 11 is connected to the actuator 7. For this purpose, the upper clamp 18 of the upper arm (17a) engages with a specific part 19 of the support equipment 11. Next, the actuator stroke is used to remove the lower support roller 3b / support equipment 11 / lower support roller assembly, integrally.

According to the observations of the requesting firm, the installation of this priority presents, however, certain drawbacks, and in particular:

- the need to insert the support equipment, marked 11, directly into the intermediate space between the upper support roll 3a and the lower support roll 3b (present then inside the laminator box), which requires equipment specific maintenance for this operation,

- the use of an extraction system that not only includes an actuator, marked 7, whose horizontal stroke is used to push the rollers out of the box, but also two specific actuators (hydraulic or electric grippers) respectively for the two arms, and in order to grip the two ends of the two work rollers, which increases the cost of installation.

Also known from document US 2002/0078728 are a fourth box rolling mill installation and a procedure for changing the working rollers and the support rollers implemented in such an installation. The extraction system comprises a single actuator (marked with 54) with horizontal stroke, equipped with a hooking head (a hook marked with 54a) that allows removing the set of rollers (working and support), and according to a sequence illustrated in Figures 6 (A) to 6 (D).

Figure 6 (A) illustrates the stage of extraction of the two work rollers (together) by the pushing action of the actuator 54. Correlatively to this extraction, the lower support roller 53 is lifted by cylinders 16, which allow the Taking the chock of the lower support roller 54 with the hook 54a of the horizontal actuator 54. The same horizontal travel actuator 54 is then used to remove the lower support roller 53, and while the upper support roller is still present inside the laminator box.

Figure 6 (B) illustrates the following stage, for which a support equipment is positioned, marked 59 ( "roll changing stool"), resting on the chocks of the lower support roller (at that time out of the box), before insert the assembly into the laminator housing, namely the lower support roll and the support equipment, by the pulling action of the actuator 54, and as illustrated in Figure 6 (C).

The upper support roller is then lowered onto the support equipment 59, supported by its chocks, then the actuator 54 is used to jointly push the assembly comprising the lower support roll, the support equipment and the upper support roll. (in overlap).

In this way, the extraction procedure put into practice in this priority US 2002/0078728 uses, like document WO 03/099479 A1, a support equipment ( "roll changing stoo / ') comparable to equipment marked with 11 in priority WO 03/099479 A1, which allows the joint exit of the upper and lower support rollers. According to the observations of the applicant firm, the procedure described above in this priority US 2002/0078728 is advantageous, compared to that of document WO 03/099479 A1, in which the horizontal actuator marked with 54 is used, as well as the lower support roller (temporarily removed) to allow the insertion of this equipment in the laminator housing, and as illustrated in Figures 6 (B) and 6 (C), and contrary to WO 03/099479 A1, It is necessary to insert this support equipment directly between the support rollers present inside the laminator box.

According to the observations of the applicant firm, the installation of this priority US 2002/0078728 presents, however, certain drawbacks, and in particular the need to provide, inside the laminator box, support rails for the support roll lower 53 of variable level, called " up-and-down rails 15 ', operable in descent or ascent thanks to some cylinders 16.

With the rails in the down position, the horizontal actuator hook 54a is aligned with the mating hook of the lower work roll chock 57 and allowing, as illustrated in Figure 6 (A), the actuator to engage with the work rollers to allow their removal.

In their high position, the lower support roller support rails 15 are aligned with the rails marked 18, allowing the lower support roller to exit. Raising the rails from the low position to the high position still allows hook 54a to engage with a complementary hook on the lower support roller chock.

In other words, for the extraction of the whole of the rollers (that is, the work rollers and the support rollers), the actuator 54 (horizontal travel) for the pushing of the rollers must necessarily be combined with a system of rails , designed to support the lower support roller chocks and whose cylinders, marked 16, allow changing the level of the lower support roller (and, therefore, of the lower work roller supported on the latter) to allow the same hook 54a of the horizontal actuator set engages respectively with a hook 54b of the work roll chock (in the low position of the rails 15 illustrated in Figure 6 (A), and engages with a hook 24 of the support roll chock lower (in the high position of the illustrated rails of Figures 6 (B) to 6 (C)).

The present invention responds to this objective by proposing a procedure for changing the rollers that advantageously makes it possible to use an extraction system that uses a single actuator to extract all the rollers from the laminator.

More in particular, the purpose of the present invention is a method of this type with a single actuator, the coupling head of which may be related, firstly, to the chock of a work roller and then, in the second instance, to the chock. of a support roller, to allow the removal of all the rollers (that is, the work rollers and the support rollers), limiting the installation costs necessary for these operations, and compared to the state of the technique disclosed by US 2002/0078728.

It is another purpose of the invention to propose a laminating installation of this type that includes a laminator, as well as a system for extracting the rollers, of lower cost compared to the facilities of the state of the art, convenient especially for the implementation of the procedure.

Other advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the description, which is only given as an indication and is not intended to limit it.

Thus, the invention concerns, first of all, a procedure for changing the rollers of a rolling mill for metal strip, carried out in an installation that has:

- a rolling mill comprising:

- a holding box,

- a set of superimposed rollers with substantially parallel axes comprising two work rollers, lower and upper, defining the passage air gap, and two support rollers, respectively lower and upper, intended to bear respectively on the work rollers on the opposite side to that of the passage air gap,

- each roller having two rotatable mounted ends, each one of them on a bearing carried by a chock,

- a guide means between the roller chocks and the clamping box, according to the clamping plane,

- means for applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers, comprising hydraulic cylinders,

- a system for clamping the chocks of the rollers, which ensures the blocking of the chocks with respect to the clamping box, according to the axis of the roller, at the same time that enables the sliding of the chocks along the media guide, according to the clamping plane,

- means of motorization of the support rollers, on one side of the laminator clamping box,

- a system for extracting the working rollers and the support rollers provided on the motorized side of said rolling mill, comprising:

- an actuator configured to, when removing the rollers, push the rollers out of the laminator clamping box or, conversely, when inserting the rollers, pulling the rollers into the clamping box,

- a hooking head integral with said actuator, located, in the opening position of the clamping box, at an intermediate height level between the lower work roller and the lower support roller, movable in a direction parallel to the rollers , from a first retracted position, for which the hooking head is located on the motorization side, towards a second deployed position, for which the hooking head, having passed through the clamping box, is located on the operator side, said head comprising hooking:

- first coupling means configured to drive the chock or the end of the lower work roller, on the motorized side of the rolling mill,

- second coupling means configured to drive the chock of the lower support roll, on the motorized side of the rolling mill, which have a retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roll, and a deployed state, in which push the chock of said lower support roller, and in which the chocks of the upper and lower work rollers have joining means, on the operator side, which are responsible for a mechanical connection between these chocks on the operator side ,

and in which the work rollers and the support rollers are removed, after opening the clamping box of said laminator, during which the lower work roller and the lower support roller are distanced from the holding roller. upper work and the upper support roller, while the metal strip is present along the advance plane of said laminator through the implementation of the following successive stages:

- a first extraction stage during which the upper work roller and the lower work roller are extracted, by means of a pushing action of said actuator on the chock of the lower work roller on the motorized side, passing the hooking head of the first position retracted towards the second deployed position, said upper work roller being dragged together with the lower work roller by the mechanical connection created, on the operator side, between the chocks of the lower and upper work rollers, said second means of coupling of the coupling head in said retracted state in which, in this pushing action, the chocks of the support rollers do not drag,

- a return stage during which the coupling head is returned from the second deployed position towards the motorization side towards the first retracted position,

- a second extraction stage in which the lower support roller is extracted out of the clamping box by means of a pushing action of said actuator on the chock of the lower support roller on the motorization side, passing the hooking head of the first retracted position towards the second deployed position, said second coupling means being in said deployed state that allows the thrust of the chock of said lower support roller to act,

- a positioning stage in which a support device is positioned on the lower support roller, the lower part of which rests on the chocks of the lower support roller and the upper part of which is intended to serve as support for the chocks of the support roller top, said support equipment being insertable in the holding box,

- an insertion stage in which the lower support roller and said support equipment are inserted into the clamping box, by the pulling action caused by the return of the coupling head towards the motorization side from the second deployed position towards the first retracted position, said support equipment presenting a clear area through which the metal band passes when it is inserted in the holding box,

- a deposition stage in which the upper support roller is deposited on the upper part of the support equipment, by means of a lowering action of said upper support roller,

- a third extraction stage in which the assembly comprising the lower support roller, the support equipment and said upper support roller is extracted by means of a pushing action of said actuator on the chock of the lower support roller on the motorization side .

According to a notable characteristic of the invention, the second coupling means are moved from the retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roller, to the deployed state, in which they push the chock of said roller. lower support by manual action on said second coupling means, correlatively to said first extraction stage, the hooking head being in said second deployed position, accessible from the operating side of said laminator, and prior to said return stage.

Thus, and according to the invention, the hooking head can be coupled to the work roller (and while the second coupling means are in a retracted state and do not drag the lower support roller) to allow the implementation of the first stage of extraction of the work rollers and, then, to be coupled to the lower support roller for the implementation of the following stages, this change being operated manually, in other words, without using an actuator (such as the cylinders marked with 16 as in US 2002/0078728 priority) to allow this coupling change.

In the invention, the change of coupling of the hooking head (from the retracted state of the second coupling means to the deployed state) is obtained by a manual action of an operator (and, therefore, without the use of an electric actuator, pneumatic, hydraulic or other that makes the installation more expensive).

For example, and according to one embodiment, the second coupling means comprise at least one mobile element, articulated to the frame of the coupling head, convenient to cooperate with the thrust of the lower support roller, which, On the one hand, with the second coupling means in the retracted state, it is raised and locked in a retracted position in which said mobile element does not engage with the chock of the lower support roller, on the motorization side, and that, on the other hand, with the second coupling means in the deployed state, it is in a deployed position in which said mobile element projects downwards under the action of gravity,

and wherein said mobile element is configured in said deployed position to engage with a protruding part on the upper face of the chock of the lower support roller on the motorization side,

and in which:

- in said stage of return of the hooking head, said passage of the hooking head from the second deployed position to the first retracted position causes the protruding part to be engaged against the movable element, which pivots around its articulation under the action of the projecting part, so that said projecting part escapes, before returning, due to the effect of gravity, to the position in which said mobile element projects downwards, on the other side of the projecting part,

- in the second extraction stage, said mobile element abuts against said projecting part, on the other side of the projecting part, under the pushing action of the actuator and in order to allow the exit of said lower support roller.

According to one embodiment of the procedure:

- the rolling mill clamping box comprises support rails on which the chocks of the upper and lower work rollers rest, in the clamping box opening position, said support rails being in charge of guiding the work rollers and its chock in the extraction of the rollers inside said clamping box,

- said lamination installation comprises a support carriage that has support rails suitable for supporting and guiding the chocks of the lower and upper work rollers, which, in a relative position of the carriage with respect to the laminator, they extend the laminator support rails, and in such a way that the lower and upper work rollers are loaded on the support carriage when, in the first extraction stage, the coupling head reaches said second deployed position.

According to some optional characteristics of the procedure, considered separately or in combination:

- the first coupling means comprise a hook rigidly attached to the hooking head, intended to engage with a corresponding hook attached to the end of the motorization side of the lower work roller, and convenient to exert, in the first extraction stage, an effort of thrust on the lower work roller and the passage of the coupling head from the first retracted position towards the second deployed position, and to exert, when the coupling head passes from the second deployed position towards the first retracted position, an effort traction on the work roller;

- the engagement and disengagement between, on the one hand, the hook of the first coupling means of the hooking head and, on the other, the corresponding hook of the lower work roller are caused by the movements of the carriage, in a perpendicular direction to the support rails.

According to one embodiment, the second coupling means comprise at least one convenient folding element to cooperate with traction with the chock of the lower support roller, which

- with said folding element in said unfolded position, it allows the lower support roller to be butted into the chock, on the motorized side, to exert traction, allowing, in said insertion stage, the insertion of the lower support roller and the equipment of support,

- with said folding element in the folded position, it allows, correlatively to said third extraction stage, to uncouple the coupling head of said lower support roller extracted from the clamping box, in the return movement of the coupling head of the second position deployed to first position retracted.

The invention still concerns a laminating plant which has:

- a rolling mill comprising:

- a holding box,

- A set of superimposed rollers with substantially parallel axes comprising two work rollers, lower and upper, defining the passage air gap, and two support rollers, respectively lower and upper, intended to take support respectively on the work rollers by the opposite side to that of the passage air gap,

- each roller having two rotatable mounted ends, each one of them on a bearing carried by a chock,

- a guide means between the roller chocks and the clamping box, according to the clamping plane,

- means for applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers, comprising hydraulic cylinders,

- a system for clamping the chocks of the rollers, which ensures the blocking of the chocks with respect to the clamping box, according to the axis of the roller, at the same time that enables the sliding of the chocks along the media guide, according to the clamping plane,

- means of motorization of the support rollers, on one side of the laminator clamping box,

- a system for extracting the work rollers and the support rollers located on the motorized side of said rolling mill, comprising:

- an actuator configured to, when removing the rollers, push the rollers out of the laminator clamping box or, conversely, when inserting the rollers, pulling the rollers into the clamping box,

- a hooking head integral with said actuator, located, in the opening position of the clamping box, at an intermediate height level between the lower work roller and the lower support roller, movable in a direction parallel to the rollers , from a first position retracted, for which the hitching head is located on the motorization side, towards a second deployed position, for which the hitching head, having passed through the clamping box, is located on the operator side, said hitching head comprising:

- first coupling means configured to drive the chock or the end of the lower work roll, on the side of the rolling mill motorization means,

- second coupling means configured to drive the chock of the lower support roll, on the motorized side of the rolling mill, which have a retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roll, and a deployed state, in which push the chock of said lower support roller, and in which the chocks of the upper and lower work rollers have joining means, on the operator side, opposite the motorization means, which are responsible for a mechanical connection between these chocks on the operator side,

and in which the first coupling means and the second coupling means of said extraction system are configured in order to allow:

- the successive extractions of the work rollers and then the support rollers out of the clamping box,

- the successive insertions of the support rollers and then of the work rollers in the clamping box. According to the invention, the second coupling means comprise at least one mobile element, articulated to the frame of the coupling head, convenient to cooperate with the thrust of the lower support roller, which:

- with the second coupling means in the retracted state, said at least mobile element is raised and locked in a retracted position in which said mobile element does not engage with the chock of the lower support roller, on the motorized side of the laminator,

- with the second coupling means in the deployed state, it is in a deployed position in which said mobile element projects downwards under the action of gravity.

Advantageously, said mobile member is a manually operated member to move from the retracted position to the deployed position of said mobile member, or vice versa, said mobile member being configured in said deployed position to engage with a projecting part on the upper face of the the chock of the lower support roller on the motorization side, present in the clamping box, and in such a way that:

- said passage of the hooking head from the second deployed position towards the first retracted position causes the protruding part to engage against the movable element, which pivots around its articulation under the action of the protruding part, so that said protruding part escapes , before returning, due to the effect of gravity, to the position in which said mobile element projects downwards, on the other side of the projecting part;

- said mobile element, then in position on the other side of the projecting part, abuts against said projecting part, under the pushing action of the actuator and in order to allow the exit of said lower support roller.

According to one embodiment:

- the rolling mill clamping box comprises support rails on which the chocks of the upper and lower work rollers rest, in the clamping box opening position, said support rails being in charge of guiding the work rollers and its chock in the extraction of the rollers inside said clamping box,

- Said laminating installation comprises a support carriage that has suitable support rails for supporting and guiding the chocks of the lower and upper work rollers, which, in a relative position of the carriage with respect to the laminator, extend the rails of support of the rolling mill, and in such a way that the upper and lower work rollers are loaded on the carriage in the pushing action of the actuator on the work rollers.

According to some optional characteristics of the installation, considered separately or combined:

- the first coupling means comprise a hook rigidly attached to the hooking head, intended to engage with a corresponding hook attached to one of the ends of the Lower work roller and convenient to exert, in the pushing action of the coupling head from the first retracted position towards the second deployed position, a pushing force on the lower work roller, and to exert, when passing the head of engagement of the second deployed position towards the first retracted position, a tensile force on the lower work roller;

- the engagement and disengagement between, on the one hand, the hook of the first coupling means of the hooking head and, on the other hand, the corresponding hook of the lower work roller are caused by the movements of the carriage, in one direction perpendicular to the support rails. According to one embodiment, the second coupling means comprise at least one convenient folding element to cooperate with traction with the chock of the lower support roller on the motorization side, which

- with said folding element in said unfolded position, it allows to engage butt with the chock on the motorization side of the lower support roll to exert a traction, allowing the insertion of the lower support roll in the laminator box,

- with said folding element in the folded position, it allows the coupling head to be disengaged from said lower support roller extracted from the clamping box, in the return movement of the coupling head from the second deployed position to the first retracted position.

According to an advantageous embodiment, said folding element is a manual actuator for

move from the deployed position to the folded position of said folding member, or vice versa.

According to one embodiment, the chocks on the operating side of the work rollers have sliding plates, parallel and distributed on either side of the roller axis, intended to cooperate with sliding plates integral with two towers of the On the operating side of the laminator, the joining means comprise at least one blade whose proximal end is integral with one of the lower or upper chocks, received in a lateral groove, made in the body of the chock, on the back of a sliding plate , and whose distal end penetrates into a groove of the other chock, at least in an unfolded position of said sheet, in said opening position of the clamping box.

The invention will be better understood by reading the following description accompanied by the attached drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is an overall perspective view that illustrates the quarter-type laminator, including the clamping box in which the support and work rollers appear, the motorization of the laminator support rollers, as well as the system of extraction of a single actuator, of the motorized pinion / rack type, located on the motorized side of the rolling mill, still illustrating the perspective view, on the operator side of the clamping box (opposite to the motorized side), the support carriage of the rollers. work, a U-shaped support equipment (removable), insertable in the clamping box, designed to jointly remove the two support rollers, and also some support members designed to allow the lifting of the support and work rollers, and even from said support team,

Figure 2 is a sectional view according to a plane that passes through the clamping plane of the rolling mill, illustrating more particularly the extraction system, with the hooking head in said first retracted position, Figure 3 is a detail of the Figure 3 more particularly illustrates the hook of the first coupling means of the hooking head, in engagement with a corresponding hook integral with the end (on the motorization side) of the lower work roller, in the first retracted position of the head of hitch, figure 4 is a sectional view of the rolling mill, according to a plane perpendicular to the rollers,

Figure 5 is a view of the laminator holding box, exposed,

Figures 6 and 7 are views of the work and support rollers, respectively in the closed and open position of the clamping box,

Figures 8 and 9 are partial views of the laminating plant, from the operator side, illustrating the support carriage of the work rollers, respectively in a retracted position of the extraction area and in a position of the carriage that allows the reception of the work rollers in their extraction,

Figure 10 is a detail of the chocks (on the operator side) of the work rollers and, more particularly, of the organs that allow the creation of a mechanical joint that verifies the joint exit of the two work rollers when the actuator of the extraction system exerts only one thrust (from the motorization side) on the inferior work,

Figure 11 is a view, from the motorization side of the laminator, in the first retracted position of the hooking head, said first coupling means then in engagement with the end of the lower support roller, said second coupling means in the retracted state in the one that does not push the lower support roller,

Figure 12 is a correlative view to Figure 11, illustrating the first extraction stage in which the actuator drives the engagement head by pushing, then in engagement with the lower work roller, thus causing the extraction of the work roller lower and, together, the upper work roller thanks to the mechanical connection illustrated in figure 10, thus loading the upper and lower work rollers on the support rails of the support carriage, keeping the support rollers in the clamping box. , not dragged,

Figure 13 is a consecutive view to Figure 12, the upper and lower work rollers then removed from the clamping box and fully supported by the carriage when said hooking head is in its second deployed position,

Figure 14 is a consecutive view to Figure 13, for which the support carriage is moved laterally, releasing the extraction zone, from the operator side of the clamping box,

Figures 15 and 16 are, respectively, two views of the hooking head then positioned, on the operator side, in said second deployed position, said mobile element articulated to the frame of the hooking head having been manually tilted along a horizontal pivot axis, starting from a retracted position illustrated in figure 15, for which said mobile element is not capable of interacting with the chock of the lower support roller, towards an unfolded position, illustrated in figure 16, which allows it to engage butt with the chock (on the motorized side) of the lower support roller, on the return of the coupling head towards the motorized side,

Figures 17 and 18 are two details that illustrate the passage of the clamping system of the chocks of the support rollers from an interlocking position of the chocks to an unlocked position, which frees the axial displacement of the support rollers,

Figure 19 is a view illustrating the stage of returning the hooking head in the direction of the first retracted position,

Figures 20 to 23 are, respectively, corresponding details of the return of the coupling head from the second deployed position towards the first retracted position, the figures illustrating, respectively, the crimping of a projecting part on the upper face of the chock against the mobile element, freely articulated, which, on the return of the coupling head, pivots around its articulation under the action of the projecting part so that said projecting part escapes, before returning, due to the effect of gravity, to the position in which said movable element projects downwards, on the other side of the protruding part of the chock, in said first position of the coupling head;

Figure 24 is a consecutive view to Figure 23 that illustrates the second extraction stage for which the lower support roller is extracted by the pushing action of the hooking head, thanks to the mobile member of the second coupling means that abuts against the protruding part of the chock on the motorization side, figure 25 is a consecutive view to figure 24, the support roller fully extracted in said second deployed position of the coupling head,

Figure 26 is a consecutive view to Figure 25 that illustrates the positioning of a support element, insertable in the clamping box, the lower part of which rests on the chocks of the lower support roller and the upper part of which is intended to support the chocks of the upper support roller,

Figure 27 is a detail of the hooking head, more particularly illustrating two folding elements in their unfolded position, allowing them to engage butt with the chock (on the motorized side) of the lower support roller to exert traction, and with the in order to allow the insertion of the lower support roller in the laminator housing,

Figure 28 is a view that illustrates the insertion stage in which the lower support roller and said support equipment are inserted together in the clamping box, by the pulling action caused by the return of the hooking head in the direction to the motorization side, the metal strip then received in an intermediate clear space of the support equipment,

Figures 29 and 30 are consecutive views that illustrate the deposition stage in which the upper support roller is deposited on the upper part of the support equipment by means of a lowering action of said upper support roller,

Figure 31 is a view illustrating the third extraction stage during which the hooking head jointly extracts, in the push action of the actuator, the lower support roller, the support equipment and the upper support roller,

Figure 32 is a detail of the hooking head, more particularly illustrating the folding elements in their folded position, as a consequence of a manual action on the operator side, which allows the hooking head to be disengaged from said lower support roller with the return movement of the coupling head in the direction of the motorization side.

Figure 33 is a view correlative to Figure 32 that illustrates the stage of disengagement of the engagement head from said lower support roller.

Thus, the invention concerns a laminator 1, in particular of the quarter type, for metal strip, comprising a clamping box 2, comprising two pairs of towers, at both ends of the box, between which a set is provided of superimposed rollers, with substantially parallel axes, comprising two work rollers 3, 4, lower and upper, defining the passage air gap, and two support rollers 5, 6, lower and upper respectively, intended to take support respectively on the work rollers on the opposite side of the air gap.

Each work or support roller has two ends, typically called journals, rotatably mounted, each one of them on a bearing carried by a chock 30, 40, 50, 60.

The rolling mill also comprises guide means between the chocks 30, 40, 50, 60 of the rollers and the clamping box 2, according to the clamping plane. These guide means may comprise sliding surfaces between the chocks and the frame (in particular the towers) of the clamping box 2.

For instance:

- Each chock 30 of the upper work roller 3 has two sliding plates 31, parallel and opposite, distributed on either side of the axis of rotation of the work roller 3, cooperating with two sliding plates 27, respectively rigidly attached to the towers of the same pair at one end of the clamping box,

Each chock 40 of the lower work roller 4 has two sliding plates 41, parallel and opposite, distributed on either side of the axis of rotation of the work roller 4, cooperating with the sliding plates 27, respectively rigidly attached to the towers of the same pair at one end of the clamping box.

For example, the two sliding plates 27 are respectively fixed on the internal walls of two blocks of arcing cylinders Vc3, Vc4, in turn respectively integral, by their external wall, with the two internal walls of the towers of the same pair. of towers of the box.

Equally:

- Each chock 50 of the upper support roller 5 can have two sliding plates 51, parallel and opposite, distributed on either side of the axis of rotation of the support roller 5, cooperating with sliding plates 25, rigidly attached to the towers of the same pair at one end of the clamping box, and

- Each chock 60 of the lower support roller 6 can have two sliding plates 61, parallel and opposite, distributed on either side of the axis of rotation of the support roller 6, cooperating with sliding plates 26, rigidly attached to the towers of the same pair at one end of the clamping box.

The rolling mill also comprises means for applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers, which typically comprise hydraulic cylinders Vs. These hydraulic cylinders Vs, in number of two, can be arranged in the lower part of the control box. clamping and taking support respectively on the two chocks 60 of the lower support roller 6. According to an embodiment not illustrated, these hydraulic cylinders Vs can still be provided in the upper part of the clamping box 2 and take support respectively on chocks of the upper support roller.

The rolling mill also comprises a clamping system for chocks 30, 40 of working rollers 3 and 4 and a clamping system 9 for chocks 50, 60 of support rollers 5, 6.

The clamping system for the work rollers illustrated in the examples is the one that the applicant firm has submitted the French patent application FR 1652265 of March 17, 2016, which allows the chocks of the work rollers to be clamped. work rollers or, conversely, release the axial displacement of the work rollers through the opening and closing actions of the clamping box. The description This system for clamping the work rollers is not explicitly reproduced in the present application. However, a person skilled in the art can refer to this document for execution. Within the scope of the present application, it is possible to contemplate other systems for clamping the work rollers and, in particular, that of specific cylinders described as state of the art in application FR 1652265.

The clamping system 9 of the chocks of the support rollers to go from a retracted state, which enables the withdrawal according to their axis of the support rollers out of the clamping box, towards a blocking state that ensures the blocking of the support rollers. chocks with respect to the box, along the axis of the roller, at the same time that enables the chocks to slide along the guide means, according to the clamping plane.

This clamping system 9 can comprise vertical grooves of the chocks 50, 60 of the upper support roller 5 and of the lower support roller 6, as well as locking members 90, mounted horizontally sliding. Each locking member can move from a position in which it penetrates the vertical groove of chocks 50 or 60, blocking the axial movement of the support roller, to a retracted position in which the axial movement is released. Taking into account the frequency of maintenance of the support rollers, the clamping system can be manual, the passage from the retracted position to the blocking position is manual, being obtained by actuation of a lever 91.

The laminator also comprises means of motorization 10 of the supporting rollers, on one side of the clamping box of the laminator, called the motorization side later in the invention.

As is conventional for a person skilled in the art, an electric motor M makes it possible to drive the lower and upper support rollers, thanks to a transmission that relates the output of the motor to the ends of the support rollers, on the motorization side.

The invention gives a more particular interest in the present specification to the extraction system for the working rollers and the support rollers, and which is located on the motorized side of said laminator.

This extraction system allows, as will be explained hereinafter, the extraction of the used rollers out of the laminator clamping box, in particular in view of their grinding, but also the insertion of ground (or new) rollers in the box. clamping.

To this end, the extraction system comprises:

- an actuator 70 configured to, in the extraction of the rollers, push the rollers out of the clamping box 2 of the laminator or, conversely, in the insertion of the rollers, to pull the rollers into the clamping box 2 ,

- a hooking head 8 integral with said actuator 70, located, in the opening position of the clamping box 2, at an intermediate height level between the lower work roller 4 and the lower support roller 6, movable according to a direction parallel to rollers 3, 4, 5, 6.

The actuator may comprise a pair of rack 71 and motorized pinion 72, the frame of the hooking head 8 being rigidly integral with the distal end of the rack 71. The rotation of the pinion 72 in a first direction allows the translation, along its axis, of the zipper, as well as the hitch head 8.

The coupling head 8 is movable from a first retracted position P1, for which the coupling head is located on the motorization side, towards a second deployed position P2, for which the coupling head 8, having passed through the clamping box 2 , is located on the operator side, accessible to the latter. In addition, said hooking head 8 comprises

- first coupling means configured to drive the chock 40 or the end of the lower work roll 4, on the motorized side of the rolling mill,

- second coupling means configured to drag the chock 60 of the lower support roller 6, on the motorized side of the rolling mill: the second coupling means having a retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roller 6, towards a deployed state, in which they push the chock 60 of said lower support roller 6.

In an appreciable way, the chocks 30, 40 of the upper and lower work rollers have connecting means 11, on the operating side, opposite of the motorization means, which are responsible for a mechanical connection 12 between these chocks on the operating side. .

This mechanical connection 12 makes it possible to verify the joint exit of the two work rollers 3, 4 when the actuator 70 of the extraction system exerts only a push (on the motorization side) on the lower work roller, and as will be explained hereinafter .

For example, and as shown in figure 10, the chocks on the operating side of the work rollers showing said sliding plates 31,41 (not shown), parallel and distributed on either side of the roller axis, intended to cooperates with the sliding plates 27 integral with two towers on the operating side of the laminator, the joining means 11 can comprise at least one blade 15 (and even two blades 15) whose proximal end is attached to a marking of the lower or upper chocks , received in a lateral slot, made in the body of the chock, on the back of a slide plate 31 or 41, and whose distal end 16 penetrates a slot of the other chock, on the back of the slide plate, at least in a deployed position of said sheet, in said holding box opening position.

It is emphasized that the (or each) blade 15 is substantially parallel to the sliding plates 31 or 41, the distal end 16 of the blade being able to present a rounded contour in order to enable a slight pivoting of the distal end within the groove. , which will be observed in particular in the bowing action on the work rollers.

The foil 15 can also be provided retractable, to a retracted position in the chock 30 (position not illustrated), the chock 30 having means to lock said foil 15 in the deployed position. These means may comprise a ball and spring system. It is also possible to provide, to make it impossible to disassemble the blade, an opening 17 in the blade, intended for a pin 18 to pass through, integral with the chock.

Advantageously, the first coupling means and the second coupling means of said extraction system are configured in order to allow:

- the successive extractions of the work rollers and then the support rollers out of the clamping box.

- the successive insertions of the support rollers and then of the work rollers in the clamping box. In other words, the invention advantageously allows:

- the extraction of all the rollers from the laminator (that is, work rollers and, later, support rollers) by means of a single actuator, and contrary to the state of the art known by the applicant firm,

- the insertion of all the rolling mill rollers (that is to say, support rollers and, later, work rollers) by means of a single actuator, and contrary to the state of the art known by the applicant firm.

As will be understood from the following description, the extraction system eventually makes it possible to extract only the work rollers and then insert new work rollers (new or rectified), in said clamping box (the support rollers remaining inside of the clamping box).

Hereinafter, we will describe the procedure for changing the rollers implemented in a laminating plant of this type and, more particularly, the different steps implemented to remove the assembly of the working rollers and the working rollers. support thanks to the single actuator extraction system. These different stages are illustrated in detail in Figures 6 to 33.

A person skilled in the art understands that the steps of the process that allow the insertion of the support rollers and then of the work rollers are essentially the same, but carried out in the reverse order of the steps that allow the removal of the rollers.

Thus, the work rollers 3, 4 and the support rollers 5, 6 are removed, after opening the clamping box of said laminator during which the lower work roller 4 and lower support roller 6 are distanced from the upper work roll 4 and the upper support roll 5, while the metal strip B is present along the advance plane of said rolling mill.

This stage of opening the rolling mill box is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, caused by the retraction of the hydraulic cylinders Vs. Where appropriate, and according to one embodiment, this opening automatically causes the chocks to be unsealed. 30, 40 of work rollers 3, 4.

In addition, the work rollers 3, 4 and the support rollers 5, 6 are removed by means of the following successive stages:

- a first extraction stage E1 (see figures 11 to 13) during which the upper work roll 3 and the lower work roll 4 are extracted, by means of a pushing action of said actuator 70 on the chock 40 of the work roll lower 4, on the motorization side, the hooking head 8 passing from the first retracted position P1 towards the second deployed position P2, said upper work roller 3 being dragged together with the lower work roller 4 by the mechanical joint 12 created, of the operator side, between the chocks 30, 40 of the lower and upper work rollers, said second coupling means of the coupling head 8 being in said retracted state in which, in this pushing action, the chocks of the support rollers,

- a return stage E2 (see figures 19 to 24) during which the coupling head 8 is returned from the second deployed position P2 towards the motorization side towards the first retracted position P1,

- a second extraction stage E3 (see figures 24 and 25) during which the lower support roller 6 is extracted out of the clamping box 2 by means of a pushing action of said actuator on the chock 60 of the lower support roller 6 from the motorization side, the hooking head 8 passing from the first retracted position P1 towards the second deployed position P2, said second coupling means being in said deployed state that allows the thrust of the chock 60 of said lower support roller 6 to act,

- a positioning stage E4 (see figures 26 and 27) during which a support device 13 is positioned on the lower support roller 6, whose lower part rests on the chocks 60 of the lower support roller 6 and whose upper part is intended to serve as a support for the chocks 50 of the upper support roller), said support equipment 13 being insertable in the clamping box 2,

- an insertion stage E5 (see figure 28) during which the lower support roller 6 and said support equipment 13 are inserted into the clamping box 2, by the pulling action caused by the return of the hooking head 8 towards the motorization side from the deployed position P2 towards the retracted position P1, said support equipment 13 presenting a clear area 14 through which the metal band B passes when it is inserted in the clamping box 2,

- a deposition stage E6 (see Figures 29 and 30) in which the upper support roller 5 is deposited on the upper part of the support equipment 13, by means of a lowering action of said upper support roller 5,

- a third extraction stage E7 (see figure 31) during which the assembly comprising the lower support roller 6, the support equipment 13 and said upper support roller 5 is extracted by means of a pushing action of said actuator 70 on chock 60 of the lower support roller 6, on the motorization side.

The clamping box 2 of the rolling mill typically comprises support rails R3, R4 on which the chocks 30, 40 of the upper and lower work rollers 3, 4 rest, with the clamping box 2 in the open position, taking care of said support rails R3, R4 to guide the work rollers 3, 4 and their chocks 30, 40 in the extraction of the work rollers out of said clamping box or in the insertion of the work rollers in the clamping box.

The clamping box also comprises support rails R6 on which the chocks 60 of said lower support roller 6 rest with the clamping box 2 in the open position, the chocks 60 presenting rollers 63 intended to roll along the R6 rails, with other rails extending the R6 rails in correspondence with the extraction area on the operator side.

The rolling mill may comprise a support carriage 20 comprising support rails R3 ', R4' suitable for supporting and guiding the chocks 30, 40 of the lower and upper work rollers 3, 4 which, in a relative position of the carriage with respect to the laminator, they extend the support rails R3, R4 of the laminator and in such a way that the lower and upper work rollers are loaded together on the carriage 20 in the pushing action of the actuator on the work rollers 3 , 4 or, on the contrary, unloaded from the carriage so that, when the rollers are inserted, they are inserted into the clamping box.

This support carriage 20 is movable along rails perpendicular to the support rails, to allow the carriage to be laterally retracted in a position outside the extraction zone, and as illustrated in Figure 8.

A handling frame M ^t allows the work rollers 3, 4 to be ejected from the top, thanks to an overhead crane in the workshop.

This carriage 20 is kept in this retracted position outside the extraction zone, in particular in the stages for which the support rollers are extracted or inserted.

As illustrated in the figures, the carriage can present, in parallel, four pairs of support rails, and in order to be able to support two pairs of upper and lower work rollers, side by side.

When only the work rollers 3, 4 are to be changed, it is then possible to jointly pull out a pair of upper and lower work rollers on the support carriage 20 and immediately load another pair of work rollers (new or rectified) previously positioned on the support carriage, just after a small lateral displacement of the carriage, in order to align the support rails R3 'and R'4 of these new rollers with those R3 and R4 from clamp box 2.

The first coupling means can essentially comprise a hook 81 rigidly integral with the hooking head 8, intended to engage with a corresponding hook 42 integral at the end of the motorization side of the lower work roller 4, and suitable for:

- exerting, in the pushing action of the hooking head 8 from the first retracted position P1 towards the second deployed position P2, a pushing force on the lower work roller 4,

- exerting, when the hooking head 8 passes from the second deployed position P2 towards the first retracted position P1, a tensile force on the lower work roller 4.

This hook 81 is initially in mesh with the corresponding hook 42 at the end of the lower work roll, in said first retracted position P1 of the hooking head, and as illustrated in Figures 3 or 11.

Advantageously, the two mutually engaging hooks 81 and 82 are configured so that the engagement and disengagement between, on the one hand, the hook 81 of the first coupling means of the hooking head 8 and, on the other, the corresponding hook 42 of the lower work roller 4 are caused by the movements of the carriage 20, in a direction perpendicular to the support rails R3 ', R4'.

Therefore, the coupling (or uncoupling) of the coupling head 8 with the lower work roller 4 is automatic, thanks to the motorized movement of the support carriage, and without requiring a specific actuator for this action.

As illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, the support rails R3 'and R4' of the support carriage are aligned with the support rails R3 and R4 in the first extraction stage E1.

At the end of the extraction stage, the carriage 20 is retracted in a position outside the extraction zone, on the operator side, and as illustrated in figure 14, and while the hooking head is in the second deployed position P2, accessible from the operator side.

This access to the hooking head 8 advantageously allows an operator, according to the invention, to pass the second coupling means from the retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roller, towards the deployed state, in the one that pushes the chock of said lower support roller by means of a manual action of the operator on said second coupling means. This manual action is correlative to said first extraction stage, performed while the hooking head is in said second deployed position, accessible from the operating side of said laminator, and prior to said hooking head return stage.

To this end, the second coupling means may comprise at least one mobile element 82, articulated to the frame of the coupling head, convenient to cooperate with thrust with the chock 60 of the lower support roller 6.

- with the second coupling means in the retracted state, said at least mobile element 82 is raised and locked in a retracted position P3, illustrated by way of example in figure 15, in which said mobile element 82 does not engage with chock 60 of the lower support roller 6, on the motorized side of the laminator,

- with the second coupling means in the deployed state, said at least mobile element 82 is in a deployed position P4, illustrated by way of indication in figure 16, in which said mobile element 82 projects downwards under the action of the gravity.

Thus, the passage from the retracted position P3 towards the deployed position is possible by means of a manual action of the operator, when the hooking head 8 is accessible from the operator side. In the retracted position, the movable member 82 can be locked in position by any suitable means and, for example, by means of a fork 85 which, articulated to the frame, in one position allows the movable member 82 to be held in raised position by crimping with a leg 84 rigidly integral with the movable member. Unlocking is achieved by moving the fork 85 around its pivot, this movement causing the release of the mobile member which pivots the head downwards, for example by half a turn due to the effect of gravity.

This mobile element 82 is configured in said deployed position P4 to engage with a projecting part 62 on the upper face of the chock 60 of the lower support roller 6, on the motorization side, present in the clamping box.

As illustrated in Figures 20 to 23, said passage of the hooking head 8 from the second deployed position P2 towards the first retracted position P1 causes the protruding part 62 to engage against the movable element 82, which pivots around its articulation under the action of the projecting part 62 (see figures 20 to 22), so that said projecting part 6 escapes before returning, by the effect of gravity, to the position (see figure 23) in which said mobile element 82 is projected downwards, to the other side of the projecting part 62. In other words, in the return of the coupling head, said movable element 82 is configured so that a projecting part 62 escapes through the upper face of the chock 60 of the support roller lower 6, thanks to the possibility of turning around said at least one mobile element (according to the clockwise direction in Figures 21 and 22).

As illustrated in figure 24, said movable element 82, then in position on the other side of the projecting part 62, abuts against said projecting part 62 under the pushing action of the actuator 70 and in order to allow the exit of said roller. lower support 6 in the second extraction stage E3. In the extraction E3, it is highlighted that the possibility of turning said mobile element 82 (counterclockwise) is blocked by a stop 86, which allows said mobile element 82 to transmit to the chock 60 the thrust force necessary to removal of the lower support roller 6.

Before removing the support rollers, it is of course necessary to release the axial displacement of the rollers by unlocking the clamping system 9 from the chocks of the support rollers. The second coupling means may comprise, as illustrated in the figures, two movable elements 82 that are substantially parallel and rigidly integral with the same rotational shaft on the head frame. The shaft of rotation is substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the axis of the lower support roller. The two movable elements are intended to cooperate respectively with two projecting parts on the upper face of the chock 60 of the lower support roller 6.

At the end of the second extraction stage E3, the lower support roller 6 is extracted from the clamping box 2, and as illustrated by way of indication in figure 25. The next stage is said positioning stage E4, during which a support device 13 is positioned on the lower support roller 6 by means of a handling device (that is to say, an overhead crane).

The lower part of this equipment rests on the chocks 60 of the lower support roller 6. The upper part is intended to serve as a support for the chocks 50 of the upper support roller 5. This support equipment 13 is remarkable because it can be inserted (after removal of the work rollers) in the clamping box 2, together with the lower support roller.

To this end, the second coupling means comprise at least one folding element 83 suitable to cooperate with traction (only) with the chock 60 of the lower support roller 6 on the motorization side, which

- with said folding element 83 in an unfolded position P5, it allows to engage butt with chock 60, on the motorized side, of the lower support roller 6 to exert a traction, allowing the insertion of the lower support roller 6 in the laminator box , in particular in step E5.

- with said folding element 83 in a folded position P6, it allows disengaging the hooking head of said lower support roller 6 extracted from the clamping box, in the return movement of the hooking head from the second deployed position P2 towards the first position concealed P1. Notably, said at least one folding element 83 can be initially in the deployed position P5 whereby it does not allow a thrust force to be exerted on the roller.

The foldable elements 83 can be two in number and engage abutting the two projecting parts 62. The passage from the deployed position P5 to the retracted position P6 can be achieved manually, for example by turning through a limited angle, for example of a quarter turn of said element 83. To this end, the or each element may have a mark intended for a tool such as a wrench.

The two folding elements in their unfolded position P5 allow, in the insertion stage E5, the lower support roller 6, as well as said support equipment 13 supported by the chocks 60, to be put together in the clamping box, and as illustrated in Figure 28. It is highlighted that the metal strip present in the advance plane of the rolling mill starts to be housed in an intermediate clear zone 14 of said support equipment 13. This then allows the deposition of the upper support roller 5 on said support equipment, by lowering the upper support roller 5, this action being able to be operated by deployment of the hydraulic cylinder V ^r and until the chocks 50 of the upper support roller 5 rest on said support equipment 13, typically using these cylinders V ^r , otherwise, for the regulation of the passing line. This is then followed by the third extraction stage E7, during which, by means of a new pushing action of said actuator 70 on the chock 60 on the motorization side of the lower support roller 6, the assembly comprising the support roller is extracted. lower 6, the support equipment 13 and said upper support roller 5, said hooking head then being in its second deployed position P2.

The hooking head 8 is disengaged by means of a manual action on the folding elements 83 which are made to pass to their retracted position P6 and then by returning the hooking head in the direction of the first retracted position P1.

The upper support roller 5, said support equipment 13 and then the lower support roller 6 can then be ejected from the extraction zone, from above, by means of a support frame M ^a , illustrated in figure 1, raised by a bridge crane.

Obviously, a person skilled in the art could have contemplated other embodiments without thereby departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims that follow.

NOMENCLATURE

1. lamination facility,

2. Clamping box,

3. 4. Work rollers, respectively upper and lower,

5, 6. Support rollers, respectively upper and lower,

30, 40. Chocks of the work rollers, respectively upper and lower,

42. Hook at the end of the motorization side of the lower work roller,

50, 60. Chocks of the support rollers, respectively upper and lower,

31.41, 51.61. Chock skid plates,

62. Parts protruding from the upper face of chock 60 of the support roller (motorization side), 63. Rollers (chocks 60),

25, 26, 27. Skid plates (frame),

7. Extraction system,

70. Actuator (extraction system),

71.72. Motorized rack and pinion (extraction system actuator),

8. Hitch head (extraction system),

81. First coupling means (hook rigidly attached to the body of the coupling head) suitable for exerting (only) a pushing force and a pulling force on the lower work roller 4,

82, 83. Second coupling means, including the manually retractable mobile element 82, suitable for exerting a thrust force on the chock 60 of the lower support roller, and the manually folding elements 83 suitable for exerting (only) a tensile force on this chock, 84. Pin,

85. Fork,

86. Stopper,

9. Support rollers clamping system,

90. Interlocking member (clamping system 9),

91. Lever (clamping system),

10. Means of motorization (of the support rollers),

11. Joining means, on the operator side, between the chocks 30, 40 of the work rollers,

12. Mechanical connection,

13. Support team,

14. Clear area of the support equipment intended for the metal band to pass through,

15. Sheets,

16. Distal ends (blades),

17. Colisa opening,

18. Python

20. Support carriage (work rollers),

B. Metal band,

E1. First stage of extraction (of the lower and upper work rollers 34),

E2. Return stage (hitch head),

E3. Second extraction stage (lower support roller 6),

E4. Stage of positioning the support equipment 13 on the chocks of the lower support roller then extracted from the clamping box,

E5. Stage of joint insertion of the lower support roller 6 and the support equipment 13 in the clamping box, E6. Stage of deposition of the upper support roller 5 on the support equipment 13,

E7. Third stage of extraction of the assembly comprising the lower support roller 6, said support equipment 13 and the upper support roller 5,

P1, P2. Positions respectively retracted (on the motorization side) and unfolded (on the operator side) of the coupling head,

P3, P4. Positions respectively retracted and deployed of said at least one mobile element 82, said deployed position being convenient to exert a pushing action on the chock of said support roller, on the motorization side,

R3, R4, R6. Supporting rails of the clamping box suitable for guiding, respectively, the upper work rollers, lower work roller and lower support roller.

R3 ', R4'. Support carriage rails 20,

Vc3, Vc4. Arcing cylinders,

V ^r . Cylinder for regulating the passing line,

VS. Hydraulic cylinders (means of applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers),

MA. Support frame (support rollers),

MT. Support frame (work rollers).

Claims (13)

1. Procedure for changing the rollers of a laminator for metal strip, implemented in an installation (1) that has: - a rolling mill comprising: - a holding box (2), - A set of superimposed rollers with substantially parallel axes comprising two work rollers (3, 4), lower and upper, defining the passage air gap, and two support rollers (5, 6), respectively lower and upper, intended to take support respectively on the work rollers on the side opposite to that of the passage air gap, - each roller having two rotatable mounted ends, each one of them on a bearing carried by a chock (30, 40, 50, 60), - a guide means between the roller chocks and the clamping box, according to the clamping plane, - means for applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers, comprising hydraulic cylinders (Vs), - a clamping system (9) of the chocks of the rollers, which ensures the blocking of the chocks with respect to the clamping box, according to the axis of the roller, at the same time that enables the sliding of the chocks along of the guide means, according to the clamping plane, - means of motorization (10) of the support rollers, on one side of the rolling mill's clamping box, called the motorization side, - a system for extracting the working rollers and the support rollers provided on the motorized side of said rolling mill, comprising: - an actuator (70) configured to, when removing the rollers, push the rollers out of the clamping box (2) of the laminator or, on the contrary, when inserting the rollers, pull the rollers into the holding box (2), - a hooking head (8) integral with said actuator (70), located, in the opening position of the clamping box (2), at an intermediate height level between the lower work roller (4) and the roller lower support (6), movable in a direction parallel to the rollers (3, 4, 5, 6), from a first retracted position (P1), for which the coupling head is located on the motorization side, towards a second deployed position (P2), for which the hooking head (8), having passed through the clamping box (2), is located on the operator side, said hooking head (8) comprising - first coupling means configured to drive the chock (40) or the end of the lower work roll (4), on the motorized side of the rolling mill, - Second coupling means configured to drive the chock of the lower support roller (6), on the motorized side of the laminator, which present a retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roll (6), and a deployed state, in which they push the chock (60) of said lower support roller (6), and in which the chocks (30, 40) of the upper and lower work rollers have connecting means (11), on the operator side, opposite the motorization means, which are responsible for a mechanical connection (12) between these chocks on the operator side, and in which the work rollers (3, 4) and the support rollers (5, 6) are removed, after opening the clamping box of said laminator during which the lower work roller ( 4) and the lower support roller (6) are distanced from the upper work roller (3) and the upper support roller (5), while the metal strip (B) is present along the advance plane of said rolling mill, by implementing the following successive stages: - a first extraction stage (E1) in which the upper work roller (3) and the lower work roller (4) are extracted, by means of a pushing action of said actuator (70) on the chock (40) of the lower work roller (4), on the motorization side, passing the coupling head (8) of the first retracted position (P1) towards the second deployed position (P2), said upper work roller (3) being dragged together with the lower work roller (4) by the mechanical joint (12) created, on the operator side, between the chocks (30, 40) of the lower and upper work rollers, said second coupling means (81, 82) of the hooking head (8) being in said retracted state in which, in this pushing action, they do not drag the support roller chocks, - a return stage (E2) during which the hooking head (8) is returned from the second deployed position (P2) towards the motorization side towards the first retracted position (P1), - a second extraction stage (E3 ) during which the lower support roller (6) is extracted out of the clamping box (2) by means of a pushing action of said actuator on the chock (60) of the lower support roller (6) on the motorization side, passing the hooking head (8) from the first retracted position (P1) towards the second deployed position (P2), said second coupling means being in said deployed state that allows the thrust of the chock (60) of said support roller to actuate lower (6), - a positioning step (E4) during which a support device (13) is positioned on the lower support roller (6), the lower part of which rests on the chocks (60) of the lower support roller (6) and whose The upper part is intended to serve as a support for the chocks (50) of the upper support roller (5), said support equipment (13) being insertable in the clamping box (2), - an insertion stage (E5) during which the lower support roller (6) and said support equipment (13) are inserted into the clamping box (2), by the pulling action caused by the return of the head coupling (8) towards the motorization side from the second deployed position (P2) towards the first retracted position (P1), said support equipment (13) presenting a clear area (14) through which the metal band ( B) when it is inserted in the clamping box (2), - a deposition stage (E6) in which the upper support roller (5) is deposited on the upper part of the support equipment (13), by means of a lowering action of said upper support roller (6), - a third extraction stage (E7) during which the assembly comprising the lower support roller (6), the support equipment (13) and said upper support roller (5) is extracted by means of a pushing action of said actuator ( 70) on the chock (60) of the lower support roller (6), on the motorization side, and in which the second coupling means of the retracted state are passed, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roller (6 ), towards the deployed state, in which they push the chock (60) of said lower support roller (6) by means of a manual action on said second coupling means, correlatively to said first extraction stage (E1), finding the hooking head (8) in said second deployed position outlet (P2), accessible from the operator side of said rolling mill, and prior to said return stage (E2). 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein: - the clamping box (2) of the rolling mill comprises support rails (R3, R4) on which the chocks (30, 40) of the upper and lower work rollers (3, 4) rest, with the clamping box (2) in open position, said support rails (R3, R4) being in charge of guiding the work rollers (3, 4) and their chocks (30, 40) in the extraction of the rollers in said clamping box, - Said lamination installation comprising a support carriage (20) comprising support rails (R3 ', R4') suitable for supporting and guiding the chocks (30, 40) of the lower and upper work rollers ( 3), which, in a relative position of the carriage with respect to the mill, extend the support rails (R3, R4) of the mill, and in such a way that the lower and upper work rollers are loaded on the carriage (20) when, In the first extraction stage (E1), the hooking head reaches said second deployed position (P2). Method according to claim 1 or 2, in which the first coupling means (81) comprise a hook rigidly integral with the hooking head (8), intended to engage with a corresponding hook (42) integral with the end, of the motorization side, of the lower work roller (4), and suitable for: - exerting, in the first extraction stage (E1), a pushing force on the lower work roller (4) and the passage of the coupling head (8) from the first retracted position (P1) towards the second deployed position (P2), - exerting, when the hooking head (8) passes from the second deployed position (P2) towards the first retracted position (P1), a tensile force on the work roller. 4. Method according to claims 2 and 3, in which the hooking and unhooking between, on the one hand, the hook (81) of the first coupling means of the hooking head (8) and, on the other, the corresponding hook (42) of the lower work roller (4) are caused by the movements of the carriage (20), in a direction perpendicular to the support rails (R3 ', R4'). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the second coupling means (82, 83) comprise at least one movable element (82), articulated to the frame of the coupling head, convenient to cooperate by pushing with chock (60) of the lower support roller (6), which: - With the second coupling means in the retracted state, said at least movable element (82) is raised and locked in a retracted position (P3) in which said movable element (82) does not engage with the chock (60) of the clamping roller. lower work (6), motorization side, - with the second coupling means in the deployed state, it is in a deployed position (P4) in which said mobile element (82) projects downwards under the action of gravity, and wherein said mobile element (82) is configured in said deployed position (P4) to engage with a projecting part (62) on the upper face of the chock (60) of the lower support roller (6) on the motorization side, and in which: - in said return stage (E2) of the hooking head, said passage of the hooking head (8) from the second deployed position (P2) towards the first retracted position (P1) causes the engagement of the projecting part (62 ) against the mobile element (82), which pivots around its articulation under the action of the projecting part (62), so that said projecting part (62) escapes, before returning, by the effect of gravity, to the position in the one in which said mobile element (82) projects downwards, to the other side of the projecting part (62); - in the second extraction stage (E3), said mobile element (82) abuts against said projecting part (82), on the other side of the projecting part, under the pushing action of the actuator and in order to allow the exit of said lower support roller (6). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the second coupling means comprise at least one folding element (83) suitable for cooperating with traction with the chock (60) of the lower support roller (6), which - with said folding element in said unfolded position (P5), it allows engaging butt with the chock (60) on the motorization side of the lower support roller (6) to exert a traction, allowing, in said insertion stage (E5), the insertion of the lower support roller (6) and of said support equipment (13), - with said folding element (83) in the folded position (P6), allows, correlatively to said third extraction stage (E7), to uncouple the hooking head of said lower support roller (6) extracted from the clamping box, in the return movement of the hooking head from the second deployed position (P2) to the first retracted position (P1). 7. Lamination facility (1) featuring: - a rolling mill comprising: - a holding box (2), - a set of superimposed rollers with substantially parallel axes comprising two work rollers (3, 4), lower and upper, defining the passage air gap, and two support rollers (5, 6), respectively upper and lower, intended to take support respectively on the work rollers on the side opposite to that of the passage air gap, - each roller having two rotatable mounted ends, each one of them on a bearing carried by a chock (30, 40, 50, 60), - a guide means between the roller chocks and the clamping box, according to the clamping plane, - means for applying a clamping force between the chocks of the support rollers, comprising hydraulic cylinders (Vs), - a clamping system (9) of the chocks of the rollers, which ensures the blocking of the chocks with respect to the clamping box, according to the axis of the roller, at the same time that enables the sliding of the chocks along of the guide means, according to the clamping plane, - means of motorization (10) of the support rollers, on one side of the laminator clamping box, - a system for extracting the work rollers and the support rollers located on the motorized side of said rolling mill, comprising: - an actuator (70) configured to, when removing the rollers, push the rollers out of the clamping box (2) of the laminator or, on the contrary, when inserting the rollers, pull the rollers into the holding box (2), - a hooking head (8) integral with said actuator (70), movable in a direction parallel to the rollers (3, 4, 5, 6), from a first retracted position (P1), for which the hooking head It is located on the motorization side, towards a second deployed position (P2), for which the hooking head (8), having passed through the clamping box (2), is located on the operator side, comprising first coupling means configured to drag the chock (40) or the end of the lower work roller, on the side of the laminator motorization means, characterized in that said hooking head (8) is located, in the opening position of the clamping box ( 2), at an intermediate height level between the lower work roller (4) and the lower support roller (6), said hooking head comprising second coupling means configured to drag the chock (60) of the support roller bottom (6), m side laminator torsion, which have a retracted state, in which they do not drag the chock of the lower support roller (6), and a deployed state, in which they push the chock (60) of said lower support roller (6). ), and in which the chocks (30, 40) of the upper and lower work rollers have connecting means (11), on the operator side, opposite the motorization means, which are responsible for a mechanical connection (12) between these chocks on the operator side, and in which the first coupling means and the second coupling means of said extraction system are configured in order to allow: - the successive extractions of the work rollers (3, 4) and then of the support rollers (5, 6) out of the clamping box (2), - the successive insertions of the support rollers (5, 6) and then of the work rollers (3, 4) in the clamping box (2), and in which the second coupling means comprise at least one mobile element (82), articulated to the frame of the coupling head, convenient to cooperate by pushing with the chock (60) of the lower support roller (6), which: - with the second coupling means in said retracted state, said at least mobile element (82) is raised and locked in a retracted position (P3) in which said mobile element (82) does not engage with the chock (60) of the roller lower support (6), on the motorization side of the laminator, - with the second coupling means in said deployed state, it is in a deployed position (P4) in which said mobile element (82) projects downwards under the action of gravity, and in which said mobile member (82) is a manually actuated member to move from the retracted position (P3) towards the deployed position (P4) of said mobile member (82), or vice versa, said movable element (82) configured in said deployed position (P4) to engage with a projecting part (62) on the upper face of the chock (60) of the lower support roller (6) on the motorization side, present in the clamping box , and in such a way that: - said passage of the hooking head (8) from the second deployed position (P2) towards the first retracted position (P1) causes the protruding part (62) to engage against the mobile element (82), which pivots around its articulation under the action of the projecting part (62), so that said projecting part (62) escapes before returning, due to the effect of gravity, to the position in which said mobile element (82) projects downwards, to the other side of the projecting part (62); - said mobile element (82), then in position on the other side of the projecting part (62), abuts against said projecting part (82), under the pushing action of the actuator and in order to allow the exit of said support roller lower (6). 8. Installation according to claim 7, in which: - the clamping box (2) of the rolling mill comprises support rails (R3, R4) on which the chocks (30, 40) of the upper and lower work rollers (3, 4) rest, with the clamping box (2) in open position, said support rails (R3, R4) being in charge of guiding the work rollers (3, 4) and their chocks (30, 40) in the extraction of the rollers in said clamping box, - Said lamination installation comprising a support carriage (20) comprising support rails (R3 ', R4') suitable for supporting and guiding the chocks (30, 40) of the lower and upper work rollers ( 3, 4), which, in a relative position of the carriage with respect to the rolling mill, extend the support rails (R3, R4) of the rolling mill, and in such a way that, in the pushing action of the actuator on the work rolls (3 , 4), the lower and upper work rollers are loaded on the carriage (20). Installation according to claim 7 or 8, in which the first coupling means (81) comprise a hook rigidly integral with the hooking head (8), intended to engage with a corresponding hook (42) integral with one of the ends of the lower work roller (4), and suitable for: - exert, in the pushing action of the coupling head (8) from the first retracted position (P1) towards the second deployed position (P2), a pushing force on the lower work roller (4), - exert, as the hooking head (8) passes from the second deployed position (P2) towards the first retracted position (P1), a traction force is applied to the lower work roller (4). Installation according to claims 8 and 9, in which the hooking and unhooking between, on the one hand, the hook of the first coupling means (81) of the hooking head (8) and, on the other, the corresponding hook (42) of the lower work roller (4) are caused by the movements of the carriage (20), in a direction perpendicular to the support rails (R3 ', R4'). Installation according to one of Claims 7 to 10, in which the second coupling means comprise at least one folding element (83) suitable for cooperating with traction with the chock (60) of the lower support roller (6) on the side motorization, which - With said folding element in said unfolded position (P5), it allows to engage butt with the chock (60) of the motorization side of the lower support roller (6) to exert a traction, allowing the insertion of the lower support roller (6) in the laminator box, - with said folding element (83) in the retracted position (P6), it allows the coupling head to be disengaged from said lower support roller (6) extracted from the clamping box, in the return movement of the coupling head of the second deployed position (P2) towards the first retracted position (P1). Installation according to claim 11, in which said folding element (83) is a manually actuated member to move from the deployed position (P5) to the folded position (P6) of said mobile member (83), or vice versa . Installation according to one of Claims 7 to 12, in which, the chocks on the operating side of the work rollers having sliding plates (31,41), parallel and distributed on either side of the roller axis, intended to cooperate with sliding plates (27) integral with two towers on the operating side of the laminator, the joining means (11) comprise at least one sheet (15) whose proximal end is integral with one of the lower or upper chocks, received in a lateral groove, made in the body of the chock, on the back of a slide plate, and whose distal end (16) penetrates into a groove of the other chock, at least in a deployed position of said blade, in said opening position of the holding box.